Gunning For Gibson

Chapter 7

     Daniel watched from the large window of Mac's office as Eric walked out of the lobby with the two kids and towards the kitchen. His stomach was growling a bit at the thought of getting one of Pierre's omelets, but that was something he'd have to wait for at the moment. He stood there at the side of the office and watched the two kids leave and once they were gone, he turned to face his boss who was in the process of having her own liquid breakfast, scotch on the rocks.

     "Drink?" Mac asked.

     "No thanks," Daniel said, "I've been cutting down."

     "Tell me something Gibson," Mac started after taking another swig of her drink, "When was the last time you walked in here not wearing a suit more expensive than what most of the people make in a month?"

     "Probably years," Daniel guessed.

     "Try decades," Mac corrected, "Your silence wasn't appreciated nor welcomed. We had an operation that required your skills. We had to use two agents to do the same work you could do in your sleep alone. I hate wasting manpower when I don't have to, it just pisses me off."

     "They got the job done, so cool your jets." Daniel said, walking closer to her desk. "There is something nefarious going on here, and we're the target."

     "We?" Mac repeated.

     "Well, based on what I've seen... probably just me." Daniel said as he reached into his back pocket and grabbed the contract that Natasha gave him the night before. He tossed it onto the desk. "If this contract is fulfilled, what you've been going through without me the last few days would be a preview of your future from here out."

     Mac picked up the contract and looked at it, upon realized what it was for she looked back at her agent. "Where did you get this?"

     "A friend," Daniel said, "Someone I worked with before, a contract killer."

     "This Natasha that your niece referred to?" Mac recalled.

     "Yes," Daniel said, "We met in Europe and had common interests. I helped her get something she wanted and she helped me get the work done you wanted. It was a win, win and good help hard to find. Friends are even harder."

     "More than friends if I'm remembering what your niece said," Mac continued to recall something about a naked woman.

     "What I'm saying is she's my friend, and I trust her." Daniel said, "She was offered the contract first, and she took it."

     "Why would she do that?" Mac asked.

     "To buy me some time." Daniel said. "She believes we have about a week before the people who want my head will become impatient and assign it to someone else to fulfill. Time I can use to secure everyone and then try find out who wants me dead."

     "I guess this would be a priority," Mac said, standing up from her chair. "If the last few days have proved anything, it's that I don't want you disappearing anytime soon. The last few days have been stressing to say the least. I had to send Eric out in the field for god's sake!"

     "I noticed that," Daniel added, "I think the kids recognized him in the lobby too."

     "Speaking of them," Mac said, recalling their conversation. "You said their parents death might be connected. How?"

     "Having to take care of kids pins me down." Daniel explained, "Natasha even said it was easier to take me down the last few days cause of it. She suspects the plane crash was done to toss a wrench into my life, and if that was the plan... I can clearly state that it's working. I've never been so confused and disorientated in my life. The fact that I heard about my brother's death from an estate lawyer rather than someone I work with is also very disheartening. Considering that we are supposed to be an agency that gathers intelligence, we of all people should notice when someone's brother dies!"